Minerva
"Have you noticed that the duke has been acting really strange?" a maid I worked with asked as we scrubbed the floor.
"You mean more than usual?"
"No, I mean odd, even for him. I heard that he cried when a maid looked at him the other day, firing her because he accused her of calling him fat. When asked if she said it, he said that it was in her eyes."
I giggled. "Well, I guess he's more vain than I thought he was."
"That's not all. The other day he rang to the kitchen and asked for pickled eggs and jam... mixed together. When the butler brought the food, it wasn't mixed and he fired him for being insolent. Then he cried because he didn't have a spoon."
Minerva just nodded, listening to all the strange things that Duke Barma was doing. She couldn't understand why it bothered her, to know he was being weird, but it really did.
"The chamber boy said that he's seen vomit in the chamber pot every morning for the past couple of weeks. Lord Higgaby even saw how strange things were because he asked me if Duke Barma was alright. I asked him why he asked and he said they were talking and he suddenly rushed past him to get to the chamber pot to vomit. I hope he hasn't contracted a disease of some sort."
"Would serve the idiot right for being such a rake. Having sex with so many women of high and low classes could possibly give him something that would be unwelcome. Serves him right if it has... I don't hope he dies but the suffering would be enough."
"If you feel that way then, child, then you can be the one to scrub his room." Uma said over me.
I looked up at the old woman and made a face at her.
"All the other maids are scared to go in there for fear that they will be fired for saying the wrong thing."
"And you think I'm willing to? You should know I'm the most outspoken of us all... unless you're hoping I will so that I won't be here anymore."
"Not at all. You seem to have a good head on your shoulders and it's obvious the duke has taken some sort of interest in you for some reason or he would have fired you for your remarks in his room. Thus, he expects harshness from you and you will be able to handle his antics better than others."
I sighed but grabbed my scrubber and threw it into my bucket of water, lugging it toward the duke's room.

***********************

I opened the door and opened the curtains so that I would be able to see the floor. I was actually kind of glad that I was by myself and able to do what I wanted without getting yelled at by someone every five minutes. The knock down from kitchen to scullery maid was not a very good descent and so now all the other maids think I'm stupid and make fun of me. I can't help that I am loud mouthed and brash... I've have to deal with ridicule and harsh glares from society ever since my sister and I found out that we were not the real daughters of the Earl of Winchester. My sister, Bernadette, went on to find her husband, Harold, who was the third son of a baron and thus not really cared about.
They fell in love quickly and he married her despite the threats of his family cutting him off. She soon fell pregnant with Bastion and Harold invited me to come into their small home and care for her so that he could find work and support them. Their marriage was beautiful and Harold found work on the docks, bringing in some money. Bernadette worked at the inn during the day and I cared for the boys. When she died giving birth to Xerxes, I knew that I would be looked down on even more than I already was. I had practically raised the boys and they usually called me Mum because they couldn't see the difference between Bernadette and I, plus she was usually gone all the time and they didn't have enough time to realize who was what. When she died, I protected them from the harshness of the world but I had to make sure that I was firm in dealing with them. Being balanced is hard, especially now, but I know how to take the world...
I guess that's why people don't tell me what they want to say to my face because they know I'll fight back. I hear the whispers, the snickers, and the gasps. I see the points, the glares, the snubs... I know that when I walk into the market trailing my boys that every single aristocrat thinks I'm some whore. Judgmental bastards...
The door opened and I gasped, not realizing I had been scrubbing the same spot for twenty minutes. I went to work to look like I was doing my job but no one said anything. I lifted my head and looked around, finally seeing the duke lying on his bed face down. I licked my lips and stood up, walking over to him slowly. I poked him in the arm and he turned his head, looking at me with one eye.
"What?"
"Are you alright sir?"
"Yes. This is my room, right?"
"Yes."
"Then why do you care if I'm here? You hate me don't you?"
"Well, I don't exactly like you but no, I don't hate you..."
He turned over and threw his hand over his face.
"Ugh, I feel so miserable! What's going on with me... Maid, you're pretty poor, am I dying of the plague or something?"
I made a face. "No, Lord Barma, you're not dying of the plague. You would have worse symptoms than what you have been if that were the case."
"Good."
"Ever think it might be from all you're adventures in the skirts of women?"
He looked at me and gave me a sarcastic look. He suddenly rolled his eyes and got up, going to the chamber pot. I made a face and went back to cleaning the floor.
"Why are you here in my room again? Did you miss me that much?"
"No. It's been a blessing that I haven't had to look at you." I said with a smirk to myself.
I was waiting for a reply but there was none. I looked up and saw him staring at me with a horrified look and his lip was trembling as if he were going to burst into tears.
"Milord?"
"I'm just a nuisance to everyone, aren't I? I can't help that I'm duke! I can't help that I'm important! Why does everyone hate me?" he asked, the tears finally falling.
I blinked and looked around to make sure I was the only one seeing this. I got up and walked over to him as he wiped the tears from his eyes.
"God! What the hell is wrong with me? Crying like a ninny because people are doing their jobs... And what the hell is your problem?" he asked, looking at me angrily. "Who told you to stop scrubbing-"
He turned around and vomited in the chamber pot. He leaned his head on the wall and put his hand over his stomach.
"Ugh, maid, help me get to my bed."
I sighed at his fickle attitude and helped him to bed after giving him some water to wash his mouth out. I pulled at his boots and took them off before I let him go to sleep.
"You're just like my youngest... do you want me to finish the floor tomorrow?"
"No, you can continue." He said with a dismissive wave.
I went back and began to scrub. The duke said nothing more and I knew he was asleep when I heard him beginning to snore. I rolled my eyes and left his room to work on another.

*********************

It seems he slept all day after I left him. When I walked into the mansion the next day, everyone was staring at me and beginning to whisper. I ignored it until Duke Barma came down the stairs –well, at least halfway because he turned around to vomit most likely- and looked at me.
"Maid." He said, walking past me and toward the kitchen.
I shrugged because I really didn't care.
I grabbed my brush and bucket and began to scrub the floors when a foot landed on my hand. I yelled out but got my hand out and stood up. It was some regular maids.
"Don't think you can just waltz in and try to take our master. We've been working harder than you to get to be the master's personal maid. Don't think because he acknowledge you that you're someone special.
"I'm not... if I was, he would have remembered my name." I said, 'accidentally' spilling some water on her shoes. "Oops..."
They scoffed and walked away. I caught Lord Barma on the way up to his room while he held a tray of sweets.
"Do you plan to eat it all by yourself?" I asked.
The duke frowned and walked back down the stairs, setting the tray on the table.
"Are you trying to tell me that I can't ear sweets in my own home? That I'm fat and shouldn't eat anymore of this? Is that what you're saying?"
"No, milord-"
"You think I'm just a huge lard ass, don't you? Well, here's something for you, missy, you're not that pretty. Nope. Just an ugly peasant woman with an ugly nose and a fat ass."
I put my hands on my hips. "You're one to talk about a fat ass. You're the only man I know who has an ass like that! You are a deplorable human being and hurt others to gain your own sense of self worth. Let me guess: you're the last son in a line of sons for the real dukedom... You're just a rich kid with a big house, not a true duke."
His face looked like he wanted to kill me himself but refrained.
"I hereby renounce your position here at Cheddlerstance Manor. I am firing you."
"Don't worry. I quit in my head before you even fired me. Enjoy your treats, Mr. Barma."
I threw the scrub brush down and left the manor. What was I going to tell the boys?